1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dental measurements, and particularly to an adjustable bite recording tool for recording a relationship between dental implants and opposing maxillary or mandibular teeth or other dental implants.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tooth replacement, specifically by dental implantation, is a procedure for treating or preventing oral conditions, such as volumetric changes of soft and hard tissues, shifting of surrounding teeth, damage to roots of adjacent teeth and deterioration of the jawbone, as well as aesthetic issues. Typically, a dental implant has an externally threaded post that is surgically implanted in either the patient's maxilla or mandible. The bone adheres to the external threads during post-surgical healing so that the dental implant becomes osteointegrated into the bone. The dental implant defines an internally threaded bore. A customized replacement crown can be attached directly to the dental implant by fastening a screw into the bore, or an abutment can be attached to the dental implant and the replacement crown can be mounted on the abutment. In order to ensure that the replacement crown in made so that the replacement crown is in proper occlusal relation with the corresponding existing opposing tooth in either the maxilla or the mandible, the dentist will rely on bite registration or dental impressions to make the appropriate measurements or molds so that the patient will have a normal or natural bite after installation of the replacement crown. In both cases, an elastic (typically crosslinking) material is used to copy part or all of a person's dentition (i.e., hard as well as soft tissue) and other areas of the mouth. A great deal of time and effort is expended by dentists and dental technicians in preparing accurate crown implants, specifically due to the complexities involved.
Registration and impression procedures, especially in multiple tooth replacements, often end up with some inaccuracies, and additional time and effort must be invested. The process often involves several trial-and-error procedures. Such inaccuracies may cause misalignment of bite and jaws, resulting in improper functionality, aesthetics and possibly even temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), a painful condition that can affect the head, neck, jaw and shoulders.
Typical tools used for recording occlusal bite have a unitary construction; i.e., they are not adjustable. This is why inaccuracies and subsequent procedures are so common. It would obviously be desirable to provide an adjustable tool for assisting in bite registration, particularly in difficult situations, for example, in the case of an arch with a Kennedy classification I/II opposing an arch with a similar Kennedy classification or natural teeth. Thus, an adjustable bite recording tool for dental implants solving the aforementioned problems is desired.